The Rival, collectively made up of Allen Salmon and Phillip LaRue, have released a trilogy of EPs all within one year, WAVES, SANDS, and PEAKS. The Rival’s past singles “Run Run”, “Tasting Sunshine”, and “Revolution” garnered national media attention through major ad campaigns and television placements, such as Apple’s iPhone 5 launch video, Nike, Sony Playstation, Target, Amway, ESPN, NFL Network, Microsoft, and international ad campaigns with Ford Australia and Wieckse Beer in the Netherlands and Germany.

With this ambitious batch of new songs, The Rival is building on their success of marrying driving guitar rock with atmospheric New Wave and radio-ready pop hooks by having each new EP sonically explore new territory for the band. With an ambitious release of 3 EPs within a year, each addressing a different topography, “WAVES”, "SANDS", and now "PEAKS" blend LaRue’s powerful vocal with the intricate instrumentation and backing vocals by Salmon, and pull inspiration from the landscapes corresponding to the name of each EP.

The Rival is geared toward music fans who always wanted to hear a collaboration of Tears for Fears, The Killers, and The 1975. What The Rival adds to this mix of heavy hitters is a new kind of hope and optimism that everyone searches for, but rarely talks about, in rock/pop music. Allowing their listeners to explore those feelings — and dance along while they do — creates the heart of The Rival’s signature sound.

Separately, Phillip LaRue and Allen Salmon have worked in Nashville writing and producing well known songs for a multitude of mainstream and indie artists. Together as The Rival they have been able to explore their creativity with even more passion and resolve.